Best Cabin Camping near Hopkinton, IA
Backbone State Park offers family cabins that sleep up to four people with modern amenities including heat, air conditioning, and kitchenettes. These cabins feature common areas with futons for additional sleeping space, bathrooms with toilets and showers, and outdoor fire pits with picnic tables. "Our cabin had a common area with a kitchenette. The bathroom included a toilet and shower. The small, but cozy bedroom included a mattress along with a sink," noted one visitor on The Dyrt. Several cabins at Backbone provide views of the lake, making them popular choices for fall foliage viewing and access to hiking trails.
Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. Pinicon Ridge Park and Matsell Bridge Natural Area provide cabin options with varying levels of amenities. Reservations are typically required, with many parks implementing a two-night minimum stay, especially during peak seasons. The Kestrel Cabin at Wapsi River Environmental Education Center sleeps six and offers modern amenities including a stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher, and refrigerator. A camper described it as having "AC/heat, covered porch, firewood, picnic table, Charcoal grill, trails." Most cabins in the region allow pets, though specific policies vary by location.
Most cabins include beds but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. As one reviewer mentioned, "you're responsible for bringing your own linens." Kitchen supplies typically include basic cookware, pots, pans, and coffee makers in the more furnished cabins. Firewood is available for purchase at many locations, though Iowa regulations require that firewood be obtained within the county where you're staying due to the Emerald Ash Borer epidemic. Small towns near the cabin sites, such as Strawberry Point near Backbone State Park, offer supplies and groceries. Jellystone Park in Monticello provides an on-site market for basic provisions.
